Washing-machine



UNITED STATFS PATENT OFFICE.

ABBA SAMANS, OF BOlVMANSVILLE, NEW' YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MARVIN SEAMANS,

BOVVMANSYILLE, NEV YORK.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,705, dated November 20, 1860.

To all whom it may concern. l Be it known that I, Alma SAMA'NS, ofBowmansville, in the county of Erie and rState of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in VVashingfMachines; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, making partof this specification, in which- Figure l, is a vertical section of myimproved machine. Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the shaft F, and itsappurtenances, detached. Fig. 3, is an enlarged section of the escapevalve M.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

My invention has for its object the construction of a machine whichshall, by mechanical action assimilating the motion of the human hands,perform the operations of rubbing, squeezing, or pounding, and turningthe garments at the same operation, whereby the labor is greatlyexpedited and facilitated.

My improvements are also especially designed to preserve the garmentsfrom that injury and rapid wearing to which they are so subject frommachine washing.

As represented in the drawings, A, is a frame supporting the box, orvat, B, in which the washing is effected, which is of square form exceptthe bottom D, which approaches, in form, the segment of a circle. It isconstructed of zinc, though wood may be used and will answer nearly aswell. It is corrugated like an ordinary washboard for aboutone half ofthe distance which it occupies, commencing at the top of the vat, theremainder being plain.

A pair of short standards E, upon eachv side of the vat, form the boxesor bearings of a transverse horizontal shaft F; (shown fully in Fig. 2;)and from this shaft a series of spring-slats Gr, G, descend, supportingon the lower end of each a block, or head, H, arranged in a lineparallel with the shaft E, and with the ends or back of the vat B. Theslats are framed into mortises, and securely pinned or otherwise held,in both the shaft and blocks, and are made so thin, especially near theblocks that they will readily bend, but they should be formed of iexiblewood, such as ash or hickory, which possesses suliicient strength torender it suitable for the purpose. The blocks form a uniform row,having but little space between them, and the face side, f, may begrooved or corrugated to have a bett-er effect on the clothing.

At right angles with the slats G, rods I, I, connect to the shaft atransverse hand p iece K, which forms a convenient lever for givingmotion to the rubbing and squeezing blocks H.

The method of washing consists in filling the vat B, partly full ofwater, or suds, into which the garments are thrown. During the fillingof the vat the operating device described should be removed out of theway by turning the handle K, over back, which raises the rubbing blocksabove the top of the machine. To bring it into use, it is returned againto the vat, and a vertical oscillating motion given to the handle, whichcauses the blocks H, toperform the part of rubbing the clot-hes over thecorrugations of the board D, much in the manner of hand rubbing,-theirflexibility allowing them to yield to the pressure of large masses andavoid tearing or other injury, and yet causing them to bear with nearlyequal pressure on the thinner portions. With each oscillation theclothes are brought between the butting board m, of the vat, and theblocks H, and the suds pressed through and out of them, as in theprocess of pounding. And here the flexibility of the rubbing blocksproves of great importance both in yielding to the irregularity of themass of fabrics, so as not to strike with too much force, and inreaching every part notwithstanding the irregularities. The reversemotion of the brake keeps the clothes turning over and over so asefectually to present all parts to the operation. It is worked with easeand performs the whole operation of cleansing the clothes, if properlymanaged, and has the advantage of compactness of form, and economy ofcost with great ease of working.

M, is a valve for discharging the water from the tub when desired. Abovethe hole n, on the outer side of the box, a leather strap Z, or itsequivalent, is nailed, having a block 0, sufficiently large to cover thehole, attached thereto, in the proper position for that purpose. Thisstrap is passed partly around the eccentric roller M, and fastened toit. The roller turns by the small lever p, on pivots at either end ofit, and when the lever is elevated to a vertical position the winding upof the strap Z, draws off the block 0, and opens the vent hole n. Thepressing of the lever downward to the horizontal, or nearly so, bringsthe eccentric portion of t-he roller against the block and forces itupon the hole so closely as to entirely close it. This forms aconvenient mode of letting 0E the water, and one not subject to get outof repair.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination and arrangement of the several rubbing and poundingblocks H, H, attached to the spring slats, or arms, G, G, and actingsimultaneously but separately, the concentric bottom D, having its upperportion corrugated and its lower portion plain, or smooth, and thebutting board,

or back, m, substantially as and for the pur- 2o poses herein specified.

ARBA SAMANS.

Witnesses:

JAS. M. GREENE, S. A. SEAMANSV.

